The House of Representatives has mandated the committee on Disabilities to conduct an investigation of the Abuja Rehabilitation Centre and Social Protection Programmes of the Federal Capital Territory Administration and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
The call was sequel to the adoption of a motion on the “need to Investigate the Abuja Rehabilitation Centre and the Social Protection Programmes of the FCT.” moved by Mr. Bashiru Dawodu.
Leading the debate on the motion, Mr. Dawodu said that the house notes that on 22 October, 2024 the FCT Administration declared war on street begging with the aim to restore Abuja’s image and enhance security.
“Also notes that majority of beggars are individuals with disabilities, with other contributing factors including Almajiri, internally displaced Persons, poverty, unemployment, and cultural factors; Concerned that begging is an age long-standing social ill in Nigeria. FCT Administrations since 2003 have declared war on beggars and used law enforcement to apprehend, prosecute, or repatriate them to their own states; Worried that the strategy has failed because it provides only a short term solution as the Beggars soon return probably in a changed location,” he said.
He stressed that the Federal Capital Territory has one semi-functional rehabilitation center in Bwari which is underfunded and provides suboptimal services.
“Cognisant that lack of effective long-term solutions like rehabilitation, monthly survival allowance, Almajiris feeding and internally displaced persons resettlement will result in endemic begging,” the lawmaker said.
He added that if the lack of adequate funding and ineffective Social protection programmes persist, street begging will remain intractable.
Lateefah Ibrahim
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